Yes, They Have the Money
by Aurey09
Summary: Mal's having a bad day. Set between the TV show and the movie. COMPLETE.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Yes, They Have the Money

Author: Aurey09

Chapter 1/3

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: All belongs to Joss.

A/N: Much thanks to my lovely beta noandwhere for putting a filter on my dyslexic brain-pan and getting me to write this.

(Words like **this** are when Chinese is being used.)

Malcolm Reynolds didn't feel refreshed after his night's rest. It had been a light sleep of no real substance, that on several occasions had been interrupted by a terrible din coming from the engine-room. He'd had a mind to go look, but had heard Kaylee leave her quarters to go see to it. Her ears were more attune to it than even his own, like a mother to its mewling infant.

Mal went toward the dining room, led by a gnawing in his stomach. It was going to have to be last night's left over dumplings, food stock was dwindling and it wasn't getting replenished. Money was a boon that couldn't be frittered away, he fuelled the ship before his own belly.

Inara was sitting at the table, thoughtfully drinking coffee instead of her usual tea, the time was earlier than he reckoned to see her up and about. She still looked her usual presentable way, never did seem to find too many homely Companions.

"There's coffee if you'd like," she told him. He moved toward the scent of fresh coffee and pored himself a mug full before her words took, his eyes narrowed to thought.

"You're up awful early, didn't think this was your time. Hadn't it been mentioned to you these are uncivilised hours?" Mal sat at the table, putting his drink down.

"Aren't all your hours uncivilised?"

"Whereby yours are at a pricey rate. Money the way it is, I'm thinking of going on the game my own self, there's a corner in the market I think I can cater to."

"I'd advice you to stick to thievery." He gave her a tight-lipped grin. "I actually wanted to talk to you."

"I knew you were angling towards something, glad to know my senses aren't off."

"It's not an elaborate scheme." Inara said. Mal was the most defensive person she'd ever met, he could rapidly turn from jovial to impertinent.

"Fine, say your piece," he said calmly, putting her off guard, muddling her. She wondered why she'd decided to leave the ship, maybe she had been too rash about it. She knew that she had to leave, because she didn't want to, but one day she'd have to. It was best to be done with it quickly.

"I've--. I'm telling the crew that I have decided to leave." She was worried about how the crew would take the news, Mal had wanted her to get it out in the open for a long time now.

"So you made your mind up on where you're wanting to be off to."

"Yes, I've been offered a position at a Companion Training House on one of the far Border Moons. I've agreed to take it." She spoken to Sheydra the night before on the cortex; the situation wasn't ideal but it seemed the wisest place for her to be.

"Out of the way some, not got the fuel or the money for fuel to get there, gonna have to fence up some jobs to do it. If all goes well it might still be a month before I can get you there."

"Will you be screening for a new tenant?"

"That's set to go fine with River and Simon aboard, might be a bit difficult to keep them out of sight. And I don't think Doc and little sis will take to kindly to being hid in the hold, from prying eyes or not."

"Mal I'm sorry--."

"If that's all, I got my ship to see to." Mal said cutting her off, apparently he had decided that was the end of their conversation.

"I won't detain you any further." Inara couldn't say that things had gone well, but considering some of their past disagreements that had been tame. She wondered if she'd have the same luck with the rest of the crew.

Kaylee couldn't believe Inara had decided to leave. She called a meeting with the whole crew, Kaylee'd thought of the oddness of it at the time, Mal not being there. Everyone had been troubled at the news, even Jayne, the whole boat was weighted with a sadness about it.

She suspected Mal had something to do with Inara's announcement.

"Kaylee, you got word on what was making the clanking sound in the engine, kept me up half the night?" Mal said striding in, bad mood about him, no fun to be had.

"I got to fixing the problem, a piece come loose, soldering got worn down." Mal waited for her to continue.

"Oh, I fixed it, before it could carve out any real damage." Kaylee patted the engine.

"Not that she couldn't do with some real sprucing up." It be nice if Kaylee could get a new grav boot, it would help when someone was trying to chase them down. "I'm gonna have to replace some parts soon and the entry coupling needs some overseeing, might not hold together much longer, maybe a week, best."

"You do what you can, got no money for frippery or otherwise. See what you can scratch out for no money." He didn't seem to see the danger of letting the ship drop to pieces. He made as to leave and Kaylee struggled not to bring up the matter of Inara. Kaylee's daddy had told her long ago she never could keep her mouth shut, even when it been the best thing to do. He'd been right.

"I can't believe you ain't fighting for her to stay." Kaylee said trying not to let her voice shake.

He scratched the back of his neck, looked about himself for a speedy exit. He tried to side step her but she had him trapped.

"Kaylee," He warned, his face set grim. "Inara's made it crystal she's her own woman and as my own man I ain't begging her to stay on my boat. And you ever think now's the time she'd best be off."

"Cap'n--"

"Cap'n me all you want, it don't get tired. And as your captain I'm more than telling you to mind you're own business. I'm also implying that if you don't follow my direct orders there's plenty of others who'll keep us in the sky." She didn't believe Mal but it gave her pause enough that he slipped past her.

"But she's family." Kaylee shouted speeding up, to catch him on his way to the bridge.

"You could say something." Kaylee used a pleading tone on Mal as they came up on the bridge.

Wash looked up from his dinosaurs, imagined pre-historic carnage forgotten. He decided to listen to them, it was not a private conversation by the volume of it. Mal had run out of space to go, so stopped by Wash's seat.

"I can't tell her what to do."

"Sure you can," Wash said. Mal was not at all pleased, he glared at Wash to make him understand that fact. "You tell people what to do all the time, it's what you do." It was the best way he knew to stick up for Kaylee, spare her a tongue lashing from Mal.

"You're against it's, are no good and your lying ain't shiny," Kaylee told Mal. "Threatening to turf me off the boat, never believed it, not a jot."

"All right, Kaylee, I'm gonna say it, and best be quiet if you don't want it said again, might not throw you off but there's an enigmatic doctor and a governmentally trained and tortured girl who has a proficiency in out smarting crazy, philosophical waxing bounty hunters; those types I might throw off. Probably come a day I will but you might push it to the forefront of my mind and that day will be today. " Mal meant it enough, that it got Kaylee to quiet down.

"See, telling people what to do."

"Wash!"

"You brought your issues in here, I thought I'd be a third party; subjective mocking is what **I **do, it was on my CV, next to shadow puppets."

"Shadow puppets?" Kaylee asked crinkling her brow.

"Yeah it was--."

"I don't need an account on your colourful past." Mal said and turned back to Kaylee. "And I don't need you trying to fix things up with me and Inara, she's leaving and that's how it's set." Mal left muttering under his breath. "All kinds of flappy mouthed idlers inhabiting my boat."

"So the number one rule to shadow puppets, is never leave a candle unattended, not even for a moment." He shook his head. "I lost a whole cast that way, some of the finest puppets ever made... hard times." Kaylee smiled.

_It was the first time Mal had been travelling away from Shadow. When he left, his mother had wept for the first and last time he was aware of. She had understood his reasons, that going off to fight in the war was something he had a design on doing._

_He'd learnt that travel suited him, everything except the food; he missed the allotted meal times, the spices and herbs of his home. The stale and bland taste of ships food was something he couldn't get accustomed to, a flavour he associated with the Alliance's vision of all worlds a' spinning being as uniform as possible. _

_The last few months of traipsing across space, planet to planet, he found it pleasing getting acquainted with whatever locals he bumped into. He liked picking out the local traditions; all had their own tailored legend of earth that was, he got to eye the lay of new landscapes, mountains that scraped the skies, trees that bowed to deep flowing rivers. If he had any say so, the Alliance wouldn't rob the spice from any souls across the 'verse._

_Mal was coming to the end of his travels. He'd miss it, the hum of the engine turbines and the blanket of night and stars. He'd had his fancy to ships as a boy, got conversing with many that lived their lives aboard flighty vessels. They used to drop herds of beef or take them at a haggled down price from his mother's ranch. Well, Alliance had put a boot to the business, got 'tween buyer and seller so to make a cut on it and squandered the use of her land._

_He sat in the hold with many folk, a common area where folks in the lower class mingled. He sat talking with Ulrich James, who'd trained to be a Shepherd, beholden to his brother's widow and three children gave loss to that path, married her himself. He'd give prayer to all in want, didn't sway any off whatever denomination they were. _

_He spoke of his family with such love it blew Mal away, he was disposed to melancholy because of it but he was going to send money back to them; place he came from sky was smogged up and land was all at ill. He likes to hear Mal talk of Shadow._

"_After we win this war I'm gonna get my wife and kids the life they should have and my folks and hers." _

_"**Prosperous are those sat plotting, not those out fighting**."_

"_I can get enough saved to do as I'd like, give the weight of my soul to see them grow on a nice ranch." _

"_I plan on that life eventual too, got that to fight on." Mal nodded. _

"_I hear Shadow's place to do it, like to call you neighbour one day." Mal shook his hand. He said goodnight to Mal, he'd had an early start, only boarding that morning but Mal already felt he'd earned a friend out of him._

"_Night." He moved off towards his quarter, Mal stopped him with a grin._

"_Take this, it'll warm you." Mal put his cross round Ulrich's neck. He thanked Mal on his kindness. _

"_It's nothing, if you can't share the Lord, what can you?"_

Wash had called Mal onto the bridge. He'd not expected the call to be from Ulrich.

"It's light work enough." Ulrich explained to Mal. "Pay's not too bad either."

Mal had not seen him since the war; Ulrich hadn't fought on Serenity Valley with him and Zoe, last he'd seen Ulrich in combat was on Du-Kang. He'd never expected to see him again, he'd never got news as to what happened to him. But he turned into an honest smuggler like most of the Independents finished up being, difficult for any ex-Independent to get a real job.

"What's the cargo?" Mal asked.

"Ident cards, forged ones." Plenty a core world wouldn't let you step foot on land with out one, those born on the rim had no way of getting one.

"Wouldn't be a job if it were legit."

"Pick up's on Greenleaf, is what puts it at a difficulty; they got tight security, not to mention there's a warrant to my name and my ships flagged. Need them quick. Sound like something you'd be interested in." Ulrich said.

"It's work enough."

"I'll take it as a yes," Ulrich smiled awkwardly. "I'll be sending you the details through."

The screen went to static, and he waited for Zoe or Wash to chime in.

"I don't like this." Zoe said, anger simmering, under the surface of her cool features.

"What honey? You didn't hear the part with the financial recompense? Or did I just imagine that all those zeros weren't attached to a minus signs, owed to burly men who give ears as change?" Mal felt his ear twitch but he ignored what else Wash said. Zoe was going to go against him on this but he had to make plain that this plan was what they'd be going toward.

"I ain't got call or wealth to be picking on who I'm to deal with. If you haven't noticed we tend not to deal with scrupulous folk and we ain't exactly ones to throw names about."

"I'm just saying he's a **bastard, better off dead**."

"This another army story?" Wash said, but was left unanswered. "Wacky army buddies, never get enough of those."

"We should have killed him, what he did." He understood where Zoe was coming from but he didn't have the luxury of his very own soap box. He wasn't about to tell Zoe he was the one that let him live, the one that stepped in when trouble started. She wouldn't understand, he couldn't make her because he had no clue himself.


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Yes, They Have the Money

Author: Aurey09

Chapter: 2/3

Disclaimer: All belongs to Joss.

A/N: Much thanks to my lovely beta noandwhere.

"You should keep River out of sight, while we're there and 'til we've left." River was in her room, curled in a fetal position that way through a mixture of exhaustion and drugs to calm her with. Ever since Inara's announcement this morning, he'd found River to be difficult, more so at least. She been crying, violently screaming; she had to feel the profound sadness over that which she'd considered home. Simon felt the heavy weight of it, there was no wonder that River with intuitive nature and tenuous emotions did too.

The tension was evident as the crew sat around the table?. Mal had only gone over scant details of the plan, seeing as he was going alone. Zoe was to stay with the ship and Jayne wouldn't exactly blend with the local colour.

"Greenleaf's in the wrong direction." Inara said.

"It's right direction for the money." Mal looked up at Inara for the first time while they'd been gathered. "I promised I'll get you gone as soon as I can."

"What's it we're picking up?" Jayne asked. "Hope it ain't cattle, mess and stink they make."

"Ident cards, nothing outlandish. All you need know."

"You're plenty dressed for it." Jayne said, earning a disbelieving look from Simon. Mal's looked like he'd ransacked Book's wardrobe, he didn't feel comfortable about it. The fabric was itchy, well piety didn't come easy.

"I'm not sure you'll pass as a local." Simon said.

"Next time I need fashion advice I'll holler, go get your sister in order." Simon got up, paused but seemed to lose his nerve to speak something against Mal. "Transaction's to take place in a church, they're supposed to offer sanctuary to the destitute, my clothes fit that mould so be it." Book cleared his throat and Mal looked at him sidways.

"Preacher I didn't pick the spot. Churches give me the chills as it is, even if it's to commit illegal dealings in them."

"I take it you're not aware of what kinds of hands these cards are liable to fall into." Mal hadn't given it consideration but he wasn't about to hand that information over to the Shepherd, nor was he looking for Book's council on it.

"That's one of those things that ain't my concern."

"What types of people?" Kaylee asked.

"Could be hardened criminals, slave traders, maybe murderers; people looking to inflict harm on the Alliance get a position of power and trust so they can take advantage."

"You got no guarantee that's who's gonna get them."

"They'll go to the highest bidder, outside the Core worlds such items fetches a substantial amount of money, we're talking a huge sum not likely to come through honest means." He tried to meet Mal's eyes but Mal sat shaking his head.

"You're working off a guess. Even saying you're right, which I ain't, I'm just a middle man is all, I am plenty replaceable; might as well get my pockets lined, instead of wishing I had."

"Captain, times a' wasting with all this chit-chat." Jayne grumbled.

"Time is always wasting, it's how the Lord tests us." Mal held his neatly pressed collar between finger and thumb. "It's this get-up. Shepherd, did I ladle it on too thick? Like to get the professional opinion; I got a question about God, I go to a man of God, like I ask doc on a gut wound or Kaylee about engine trouble or Inara when I've got a question on whoring," Mal said, letting his words lash out at both Book and Inara. His day was bad might as well let them in on it.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Inara knew she shouldn't let him goad her, she'd come to her shuttle to keep out of the way. She tried to convince herself that she wasn't the cause of Mal's behaviour. She couldn't help what he thought, what lunacy he allied himself to, at some point he had to take responsibility for his actions.

A hand clasped her shoulder, and her heart let itself believe that Mal had come to apologies but it was Kaylee trying to comfort her.

"I'm fine, Kaylee."

Kaylee shook her head. "He's just been anchorin' to get tetchy," she sighed. "He knows where people got nerves to strike at but it's mostly bluster." She'd expected Mal to strike out at her the way he did, but it still didn't stop it from wounding her in a way that nobody had for a long time. "He made as to dumpin' me off the ship, didn't work so he pushed harder, that's his way. And I know he's hurt most of all that you're leavin'." Kaylee gave a short laugh, "Not that you'd believe it. He's why you're goin' ain't it." Kaylee looked down, composing herself but if there was something Kaylee did badly it was repress her feelings. Inara put her hand over Kaylee's.

"No, I feel comfortable on this ship. I've felt more welcome here than anywhere else but that isn't the life of a Companion."

"I could get everyone to be as mean as the Captain, if that's what will make you stay."

"That wouldn't help." She wished it would for Kaylee's sake.

"I thought we were friends Inara."

"We always shall be."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Mal's bladder woke a second before his consciousness, a dripping pipe the source of the disturbance. He slid off the bed and tripped along the floor looking for his boots. There was little in the way of light, natural or man made, which made it tricky. _

_He heard no firing going on at this uncivilised hour whichever side you were fighting on, so this was as close to an amicable cease fire as to be had; or at least a pause for reflection. A couple of them were awake chatting - sounded like Tracey and Cadao._

_They'd taken shelter in an evacuated house. He wondered what happened to the family that lived here. He's seen evidence that they'd been children, they didn't start the war their parents had, couldn't know any better on it, parent's mightn't either, political spin had it's ways. He'd thought a little on it._

_He searched the floor, populated by sleeping bodies, for his boots. Then he threw his body in motion towards the door. _

"_You should take your gun," Tracey said. " No telling if any of the those purpled vultures are stalking about." _

_Mal patted his holster. "They're not going to catch me with my trousers down, least not figuratively."_

_Propping himself against the wall to pee Mal noticed a figure moving towards Alliance territory, the earth tones of an Independent. A noticeable limp, must have been Ulrich, who'd got shot in the leg a while back. He was suppose to be on watch, been posted to guard the northern sector of the city, he was going the wrong way to his patrol schedule. _

_Mal followed him to the edge of town. He ended up a few hundred meters away from where the Alliance was entrenched. Ulrich waved a flare through the air. There'd been a rumour circulating that someone was giving the Independent movements and strategies to the enemy._

_"**Funny things you see when going for a piss**.**"** Mal said._

_He felt himself react, betrayal giving him strength to take down the other man._

_Mal slung Ulrich to the ground. "You been feeding them our business?" _

"_Mal this, well it's--."_

"_Don't tell me it ain't what it looks like." Mal said kicking the discarded flare out of his hand. Mal rammed dirt with his boot over the flare, killing the luminescence. "You better enlighten me, sell out that you are."_

"_I got a family to look to, to put food in their mouths." Ulrich couldn't work out why he bothered asking, there was nothing he could say to satisfy Mal on the score._

_"Everyone's got their reason for whoring out their souls." _

_"You ain't got a family, not no more Mal, so it's easy to be righteous." Mal wasn't going to have a debate with the man, his head was full with rage, a punch to the jaw was the best he could muster._

"_Get up." Mal ordered, waved his gun in a circle, indicating he should turn. "Move." Mal jabbed him the back of the neck with the muzzle of his gun, slightest pressure on the trigger and he'd be rid of Ulrich. He wanted to spill his blood but he reined back the impulse, brought himself back to his senses._

_Zoe was already awake when Mal shoved Ulrich through the door. _

"_Get something to tie him up with." Mal ordered, Zoe was the only one that moved. _

"_What's going on Mal?" Cadao asked, the only one half awake to take the details in. _

"_Seems we got ourselves a traitor." The mood changed, Mal was known for his honesty._

_Zoe looped a length of wire round Ulrich's wrist, knowing Mal wouldn't have asked if it weren't necessary. Bound, nobody was as inclined to strike at Ulrich. She looked at Mal; he wanted him dead , they all did she, but killing a defenseless person no matter the situation was hard explaining to yourself._

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Stay... well you know Kaylee she's got it…" Mal sighed best to keep his trap fixed, nothing to be said that wouldn't make him look the fool.

He'd come into the infirmary for some thread and needle; and for the quiet too. Light was bright enough to see what he was doing. He stitched his secreted away pocket, in the inside of his fancy shirt.

Nobody to bother him as he worked. Doc been the only one to be in here. The rest of the crew seemed to know to leave him.

He wondered despite Simon's words whether he looked like he belonged to the Alliance, play-acting at be a moneyed gentleman. If he was that kind of man, he'd have enough in his pockets, and he wouldn't have to do questionable things to keep him and his crew going. They could pretend that there was more to it, cash helped you keep your head high brought you the right to choose your work and to say you had morals for it. Inara must think it, the Guild brought the profession that right.

He and Inara were too different. This wasn't her life, not the life she wanted. She'd told him what she wanted and it wasn't anything about staying on Serenity. She wanted to leave, and he sure as hell wasn't going to make it easy on her while she remained. "Inara." Still he wouldn't listen to his head. "I want you to stay--"

"Yeah, what he said." Jayne snuck up on him.

"Jayne!" Mal couldn't find a peaceful spot, always someone bargain in where they weren't welcome, then he was supposed to make nice and talk with civility.

"Yeah, Mal?"

They'd sent Jayne - obviously Zoe was still pissed off, probably ordered Jayne to fetch him. She could be pretty persuasive when she was in a rage. Jayne had just enough brains to know that his clumsy brute strength could be outweighed by Zoe's fineness and precision.

"What're you doin'?"

"Not listening to those pretty words of yours, just seeing if you werewas ready."

"Do I look ready?" A comical look flitted across Jayne's mug but Mal wasn't in the mood to be amused by anything.

"Well for church anyhow and since that where we plan to be, then yeah, Mal that makes you seem ready to me."

"Then I'm ready." Mal left, leaving Jayne to conjure a reason for Mal's apparent madness but he was left pondering to it.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They stood in the cargo bay, everyone avoiding Mal, hoping to steer clear of his snapping jaws. They were waiting for the authorities to give the boat a gander, so they could be off to see to their smuggling.

"If you're to be attacking everyone, sir, I'd like to know," Zoe said, quietly enough so only Mal was to catch it, as she walked over.

"Depends on how intent on pulling me down you are." His eyes flicked up at her, and they were flinty.

She shook her head. "I'd just like to know where you've moved your line to, if I'm to be defending it."

"It's just a job." That was what she was worried on, Mal turning everything lifeless, switching whatever code he had left off. He was sure on his line of morality either, been so long since he'd given it a look over, he was sure had some lines left he wouldn't cross.

"Like what we were to Ulrich?"

"I don't betray those who I've sworn to protect, then stab then squarely in the back." He still had that over Ulrich.

"The only difference is you're not getting people you know killed, just strangers. Did it make a difference? Because it's loose cannons you'd be putting to the Alliance."

"Hell, there ain't not a one more Alliance than Simon and I ain't put him to slaughter."

"How long 'til you don't, next we're flat broke and there ain't a job in sight, the reward keeps going upward?" To say he wouldn't do such a thing seemed pointless, naïve. He folded his arms over his chest, and Zoe moved off saying she was going to check on Wash.

"Nothing but happy endings waited on this one." Mal sneered to himself.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Title: Yes, They Have the Money

Author: Aurey09

Chapter 3/3

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: All is based on Joss Whedon's Firefly and Serenity.

A/N: Much thank to my lovely beta, noandwhere.

(Thank you to Sophia Adamo, Dina C. and avaleighfitzgerald for their reviews, you helped me not lose faith in myself and this story.)

For all Ulrich's faults, he'd been right about God having no hand in war. On all fronts Mal's life had become a war zone. It made his mind always on the defensive; he could never be restful. Best to keep on the move, life like this could be outrun on occasion.

Mal was sure that no one looked past the clothes he was wearing. They asked him what brought him to their church, to which he'd reply cheerfully that he'd come on a visit, that he was on a journey. He'd mostly stolen what he could remember Book saying the day that he boarded Serenity. Mal couldn't recollect precisely what was said, since for the first few days he'd only seen Book as a man of god, but as Inara was more than a Companion and Mal himself much more than a petty thief, Book was more than a Shepherd.

Mal took his seat as he spotted the man that his dealings was to be with. His picture had been attached to the co-ordinates. He closed his eyes, bowed his head and attempted to tune out the sermon, a scary thing when you're on the outs. He'd kept his distance from churches - hard to believe it was a place he'd once felt at home in.

When the time came for the collection plate to be passed, Mal was discreetly handed the bundle of ident cards. He quickly slipped the package into the pocket against his heart, the weight of it felt like a bible. He'd known people in the war to put one there, as protection against stray bullets. In Mal's opinion no amount of words could protect the heart, there wasn't a dense enough book in the whole 'verse could manage that.

Mal let false amens fall from his lips and waited till the end of the service to leave; no one ever guessed him out of place.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mal threw the bundle onto the table as he walked into the dining room.

"Go alright?" Zoe asked.

"Without a hitch, except a lot of folks kept flocking about me wanting absolution, lots of them having inclination towards sins on the fleshy side."

"Nice to know there's work for you to fall back on." Wash said.

"Hope the rest of the job is as easy." It was about ten hours travel to the drop off at Jiangyin; if things went well no one would end up shot or kidnapped like last time they visited. He could occasionally be optimistic.

"I don't like the spot, sir."

"Good thing I got you staying with the ship then."

"You ain't serious about going alone." He remembered his chat with Zoe and her keep pulling him down. It obviously gone on deaf ears, not that he'd given reason. He wasn't going to go alone though.

"Jayne's going."

"Maybe alone would be better." Wash said.

"Been awhile since I got to be violent towards anyone." Jayne said, perking up.

"There's to be no fighting, getting paid relies on not hitting folk." Through letting Jayne smash some people over the head had its initial appeal.

"Might wanna go writin' that down. 'Cause, my rates normally depend on how many nose and teeth I'm to be breakin'." Mal couldn't work out if Jayne was being serious or not so he gave up trying.

"Here I was thinking violence was it's own reward."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Ulrich sat in a small room, Mal was hard pressed spying a scrap of Ulrich's skin that hadn't had some form of punishment inflicted on it. Ulrich'd told them everything they asked, torture was prohibited but not frown upon; still the smell of blood was enough to make Mal ill at ease. _

"_I left it on the table, it's yourn." Mal looked at him. Ulrich had tilted his head towards a small table, where a glint of metal caught Mal's attention. "I'm done with it." The cross was in a discarded heap, it not been thrown in a fit of temper. The deliberateness of it seemed so final. "That's what you're here for, need that, and a damn sight lot more bible verses if we're ever to win this war." _

"_We're to win." Mal shook his head. "You ain't one of mine, besides I'm the only one that can stomach being near you." Mal sat in a chair across from him. "Don't be expecting pleasantries." _

"_I suppose I have you to thank for all the beatings?" Ulrich talked as if constantly out of breath, Mal guessed he was in some pain. _

"_Don't go thanking me for what you've inspired others to doing." Mal was the reason it had not gone beyond a beating, man was going to get his comeuppance this life and the next, next might not be so full of brimstone if he was to repent. "What I've figured is all those deaths you're responsible for, people you knew well, a couple of times my number seemed to be up, there you are looking as conspicuous as hell to it all."_ _Mal leant forward and took his cross back and fastened it back into place round his own neck. _"_I want to know what happened? Know you weren't always this way." _

"_I stopped believing, or realised that I stopped believing and deep down Mal you have too. You're smart, bound to figure it out eventually, when the pig-headedness in you dies." _

"_I'm pig headed, no, no I think you confused on that score. I've known nonbelievers, they didn't go astray to the enemy. God fearing don't have the monopoly on loyalty."_

"_Least I'm honest enough not to be planting false platitudes, can't win the war Mal." _

"_Even if you believe that, don't buy it all back." Mal got up. "Nothing is ever gonna fix what you did, you lost your own war." Mal looked at him, he didn't know what he'd expected, what answer if there was one he wanted to learn on but it wasn't to be found. Not here. _

_-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Mal and Jayne waited in a scrap of woods. Jayne moved back and forth making Mal feel more antsy.

"Could you keep still." Mal snapped at Jayne.

"Do I get paid extra for that?" Mal simple glared, Jayne doing like wise. "Ain't right them keepin' us waitin' like this."

"Sorry about that." The voice came from the opposite direction than they'd been facing. Jayne spun around and hit the man who'd spoken in the face, his nose started spilling blood.

"You remember our chat?" Mal asked Jayne.

"I told you shoulda written a note." Jayne shrugged, grinned as much as he thought he could get away with. The man Jayne hit backed away behind three others, one of them Ulrich, all of them carrying metal.

"Don't take the clumsiness as any kind of attack." Mal said. He couldn't see this playing out well of course he'd expected that, always planned for the eventuality of being betrayed.

"You got the Ident cards, no trouble. Pass them to Yeoman." He nodded towards the one Jayne had blooded.

"I'll do that soon as you pass the money to Jayne." Ulrich tossed the pay load to Jayne and Mal hurled the bundle of Ident cards to Yeoman.

Mal noticed guns were plenty aimed on them. And thought nothing was free in this life that didn't stop some from trying to weasel out of paying.

"That was kinda stupid." Ulrich said Mal.

"I thought so too." Mal agreed.

"Throw you're gun down Reynolds." Jayne threw his gun down, grumbling that Mal was indeed terrible stupid.

"Now that would be stupid." Mal held tight to his pistol. "You know the difference between him and you?" Mal's nodded his head in the direction of Jayne. "Besides having to pay him extra for not beating on folk."

"What's that?"

"I don't trust him, not to turn on me." A bullet sounded as it ripped into Ulrich's leg, Zoe got up from her hiding spot.

All hell broke loose, Mal fired some rounds off hit one of Ulrich's hired guns. Jayne swung for the one with the bloody nose, sounded like he broke it this time.

Mal loomed over Ulrich, his leg bleeding but Mal knew he'd live. "Her I trust." He motioned towards Zoe.

"Nice to say so, sir."

"Wasn't it?" Mal agreed with Zoe. "I'll be taking my money now and these, I can get a good fire going with these." Mal said taking the ident cards from the one with the bleeding nose. Mal didn't care what defenses Ulrich came up with this time and he didn't much care.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wash and Kaylee were the only ones in the cargo bay when they returned.

Kaylee grinned on spying they were alive and had money, to fix Serenity some.

"How'd it go Cap'n?"

"Uneventful."

Wash looked at them all. "So they tried to kill you, so not to pay you, so you killed them and then got paid."

"Can get a full tank of fuel for that." He said, handing Wash a chunk of the money.

"I'm glad you're okay." Kaylee said.

"Nothing to worry on, you can go on a buy that catalyser now." He knew naming the wrong part would liven her spirits up.

"It's a new grav boot I wanted."

Kaylee begrudgingly smiled as Mal wrapped his arm round her shoulder. It was the closest to an apology Mal would give her for the trouble with Inara.

"And we can get paid? Roughing ups I dealt out ain't gonna have a difference on my cut is it?" Jayne asked. Mal was glad for a change of having Jayne on his crew, days were filled with empty words people not saying what they meant, himself included but not Jayne.

"Back dated?" Wash asked.

"I'm wealthy for all a five minuets," Mal complained but dolled out everyone's cut. "No wonder the rich are so uppity." Keeping money was like trying to get a grip on water, couldn't be done.

"Wash, you best get us to a fuelling station?" Wash nodded. "While you're at it, you can all take a walk about when we get there, spend your earnings, might as well all be poor and in good company, while we're at it."

They all headed up the stairs, except Zoe.

"Why couldn't you kill him?" Zoe asked. He knew the answer, why he didn't kill the sneaky bastard. He knew Zoe already guessed she had the answer, that he was a good man. It wasn't true.

"Because, I'm him, only he got a head start on it. I'm catching up." Most days Mal could only figure the only reason that stopped him was Zoe sticking around.

"Sir, we stuck by him and he turned on us, you ain't never…"

"Who says I won't." He grinned. "Nah, take too long to break in another crew." If there was some good in him he guessed Zoe was the one to see it.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mal paused at Inara's shuttle. He tapped on the door lightly, more hoping she wouldn't answer for it pained him whenever he saw her. But she answered.

Mal walked half way into the room, nodded as greeting.

"Job's finished." He told her. She turned to look at him, shutting off the cortex screen she had open.

"It went well?" She asked, her brow crinkling slightly.

"If you're definition leans towards there being gun play and almost getting you're throat slit but eventually being paid in a roundabout way, then that might be what you'd call it." She smiled slightly at him, not a real smile to his reckoning but a trained one. "It's enough to get you to where you're needed or there's abouts."

He was stuck for what to say, talking to her wasn't easy in the best of circumstances lately. "I'll leave you be, let you back to your work." She nodded. Mal turned to leave.

"Mal?"

"Yeah." He turned back, concealed any hope that might be there.

"Thank you, for letting me leave on civil terms." He nodded.

"As long as you stay paid up, it's liable to stay that way." He called over his shoulder as he left her.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mal lay in his bunk. The engine hummed softly, a sound that normally put him to sleep, after a day of doing questionable . The drone of turbines would drown out his consciousness. But tonight it wouldn't put him to sleep.

Inara would be gone soon. She slipped from his fingers he wasn't sure when; or if she ever been in his grasp at all. There was no use in fighting for what was already lost.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Mal lay half-dead on Serenity Valley. It wouldn't have taken a huge push to see him completely dead. He held his cross in the palm of his hand, a tiny glittering mass. He wrapped his fingers round it, yanked at the chain till he felt the links give way then hurled it as far as he could. He didn't take note where it landed, for he knew he would never want it back. _

_He'd known doubt before, softly breezing about him, never enough to chill his heart against his faith. It wavered on days when he'd seen blood, lots of it, from people he knew and people he'd killed, when the terror and the madness of war was all that there seemed to be left. _

_As a child, he couldn't recall how old, but he'd wondered why people were always saying his daddy was with God, he thought it odd God to be going about taking some people and not others, seemed no logic to the whole arrangement. It'd faded, for the question had come out of curiosity not the dark place he was at now. It been quickly forgotten in youth. _

_As tears streaked Mal's face, he couldn't help wishing he'd stopped it then - believing, he wouldn't have felt so bereft of it now. He held to it so tight that it made an unmovable imprint on him. He knew for the rest of his life, he'd look for it round his neck and in his heart but it wouldn't be there. He couldn't take it back, but he couldn't get the bitterness to leave either._

END.

(If you enjoyed this story let me know through the power of feedback, and feel free to make suggestions on what I could have done better.)


End file.
